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Clark on comeback kings

Lee Clark never gave up hope of his charges coming away from Millwall with something – even if they did have a mountain to climb.

The visitors were 3-0 behind within 19 minutes but Marlon King’s hat-trick justified Clark’s belief that all was not lost in the capital.

The Blues boss told bcfc.com: “Even when I was standing in the technical area at 3-0 I just felt that the game hadn’t gone from us at that stage. Don’t ask me the reasons why, I just had some sort of belief that the players could turn it around and I think getting the goal before half-time was an important factor for us. It gave us the belief that we could get something – and I said to the players at half-time that we could easily go on to win the game because we felt Millwall became a little bit nervous.

“There was maybe a little bit of apprehension in the stadium, where as it was a little bit of a cauldron at 3-0, so I think in the second-half we even had chances to go and win it ourselves and the second-half performance was probably our best half of the season.

“I thought we were dynamic; we played with lots of energy, created lots of chances and could have got more than the two goals we did get in the second-half.”

King went mightily close to winning all three points for Blues late on when narrowly missing David Forde’s near post – and his manager was impressed with how the striker linked up with Leroy Lita at The Den.

Clark said: “I think in football that you need to be able to put the ball in the net and Marlon’s done it throughout his career. He’s a natural goalscorer and we’re delighted for him and he’s took all his goals well tonight. His overall game was very, very good. I think him and Leroy combined well together, they gave the centre-backs of Millwall one or two issues.”

He added: “We came here to win obviously, but when you’re 3-0 down inside 20 minutes you’ll take the point.

“I’m pleased with the reaction and how the group come back together and stood up, because this is an intimidating place to start with. When you come here and you’re 3-0 down, you could just crumble and it could end up four, five, six or whatever but my players showed that unity and that togetherness and fought for each other.”

We came to win obviously, but when you’re 3-0 down inside 20 minutes you’ll take the point.

Lee Clark

23 Oct 2012

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